Compulsion - The Greenhouse Academy

38: F o r t y - E i g h t H o u r s

"It's probably best if you stay out of the room when we follow through with this dehypnotision process then," Leo advised, addressing Adalynn.

Adalynn nodded, gulping down tears. "Okay." She slid off her seat and walked towards the door.

"It's nothing personal, Ad," Jackie called out after her.

"I know," Adalynn returned. She stepped outside, just in time to see Hayley returning with Brooke in tow.

"She's willing to cooperate," Hayley whispered in Adalynn's ear as she passed her.

When Hayley went inside the lab, Brooke paused and glanced at Adalynn. "I - I'm sorry. I overreacted. Hayley's pointed out some things that I'm not comfortable with and I'm gonna try this 'dehypnotision' thingamajig."

Adalynn cracked a smile. "Good luck in there."

Brooke nodded and disappeared through the doorway.

Adalynn leaned back against the wall and slowly lowered herself to a sitting position on the floor. She drew her knees up to her chest and fiddled around with the loose threads of her ripped jeans.

This had better work, she caught herself thinking. It HAS to work.

Just then, the sound of someone's stealthy footsteps reached Adalynn's ears. Frowning, she slowly got to her feet and glanced up and down the hallway. She cautiously headed down the passage, her mind blaring with alarm bells.

"Don't do it. If someone's spying on the ROP, you'll find them and you, in turn, will be discovered. Don't you dare do it. Go back and sit down and pretend that nothing ever happened. Adalynn! You'll be screwed if that's Louis or Jason; what will you tell them about Brooke if you're caught? DON'T DO IT!"

But did Adalynn listen? No. She continued on down the hallway, her breath stuck in her throat, her arms shaking uncontrollably by her sides. She came to a halt just before the bend in the passage ahead. She perked her ears up, but she couldn't hear anything. Maybe, whoever was there previously had now gone? There was only one way to find out.

Adalynn heaved a deep breath before suddenly stepping out around the corner of the hall. She nearly screamed in fright but didn't have a chance too before she was cut off by someone else's startled squeal of horror. Glancing up, she gazed straight into Aspen's face!

"Aspen!" Adalynn hissed, lunging forward and grabbing her by the front of her pink coloured shirt. "What ... are ... you ... doing?"

"Get off of me!" Aspen cried, wrenching away from Adalynn's grip. She smoothed down her shirt before glaring angrily in Adalynn's direction.

"I'm gonna ask you one last time: what are you doing?" Adalynn narrowed her eyes at Aspen.

Aspen huffed and flicked back her perfectly curled hair. "Well ... if you MUST know, I'm trying to find out what the hell YOU'RE doing."

Adalynn raised her eyebrows and scoffed, "Oh yeah?"

"Oh yeah," Aspen repeated, stepping forward threateningly. "Whatever you and the others are doing; well, it's suspicious. Eagles AND Ravens hanging out? Since when does THAT happen? I'm gonna go and tell Louis about you all meeting in that ol' biology lab right now!"